In March 2009, the Circuit Court of Leon County ordered Samantha Burton – a mother of two suffering from pregnancy complications – to be indefinitely confined to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and forced to undergo any and all medical treatments deemed necessary to save her fetus. After three days of state-compelled hospitalization, Ms. Burton suffered fetal demise and was released from the hospital.

"We should all be alarmed by Florida’s wholly unwarranted intervention in Samantha Burton’s care," said Randall Marshall, Legal Director of the ACLU of Florida. "Not only is it unconstitutional for the state to override a pregnant woman’s decision to refuse medical treatment, but the medical community, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Medical Women’s Association, and the American Medical Association, strongly advises against it.”

Just so we're clear here--this woman wanted to leave the hospital and was detained and forced to receive medical treatment she didn't want. That the fetus didn't survive is beside the point--even if it had, the violation of the woman's right to self-determination should be unacceptable in a free society.